2020 Training Camp Harris Hits:
The Texans spent the overwhelming majority of the practice day working on situations and I'm keeping that information under lock and key (Coach would be impressed with me!!), so I figured for Harris Hits today, I'd highlight some of the aspects/players that have impressed me since we started seeing training camp practices on August 14th.
Safety A.J. Moore is one of the first names that popped to mind. He's had a number of significantly memorable plays - pass breakups, interceptions and the like - in the first week. He's a ball of energy every time he's on the field and it's showing in his play, too.
Tight end Jordan Akins has been excellent, especially in the past four days or so. He catches everything that comes his way and his ability to go up and get it had him on the receiving end of two touchdowns in Thursday's scrimmage.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson is in full command of this offense and he certainly has thrown the ball as we all expect. We won't see "full package Watson" until the lights go on, but he's expertly managed the absence of members of his receiver corps throughout the first week of workouts.
Cornerback Bradley Roby hasn't gotten a ton of work, but this guy never stops working. When the kickoff team got some work at the beginning of practice today, and most players stopped to watch, Roby was on a side field working on his footwork all by himself. When healthy, he's a tough nut to crack for opposing defenses.
Tackle Tytus Howard is healthy and that's great news. The other thing that has stood out to me is his comfortability with the right tackle position. He's not moving in and out to guard and back to tackle because he's entrenched as the starting right tackle. As such, he's performing well in group and team drills.
Safety Justin Reid is the unquestioned leader in the secondary and has total control of all the goings on in the back. When the Texans selected him with the 68th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, I was floored that he was still on the board. He plays every single down on every single day as if to prove to all those teams that they missed on him in the 1st and 2nd rounds of that Draft.
Running back David Johnson is on a mission to recoup what he showed the NFL in 2015 and 2016 before injuries took a toll over the next few years. From the first day, he's looked extremely sharp in every offensive aspect. Now, the caveat is rich "If he can stay healthy" but then again it's the same exact thing for every single player in this league too. I wouldn't mind for Kansas City to be the first stop on the "David Johnson's Back!!" tour in 2020.
Receiver Chad Hansen has been a beneficiary of some receivers missing full practices as they ramp up to the 2020 season. He has caught nearly everything thrown his way and the work he did with Deshaun Watson this offseason seems to be paying off.
Tight end Jordan Thomas' performance has been stellar. The big fella is taking a backseat to nobody in this camp. Even today during the situations, he showed how athletic he is by leaping high in the air to snag a Hail Mary touchdown. Honestly, the entire tight end group has shone brightly during the first week of camp.
Linebackers Zach Cunningham and Benardrick McKinney haven't had a ton of opportunities to recoil and strike ball carriers. I mean, this is training camp and not week nine at Cleveland, right? Either way, during the goal line work earlier in camp, those two brought the wood to help keep the running backs out of the end zone multiple times in two different goal line drills.
The new week starts on Sunday and I'll be there to give you many more Harris Hits. See ya then, everyone.
